10 replies to this topic

[Tw1st3d ZA]

I know there's a guide already for new players, but some of the info is rather outdated but it also does not cover some basics new players should know. If anyone has any tips they wish new players knew, please leave them in this thread.

1. Press "R" to help your friends. This targets the enemy, allows you to see the targets damage to make it easier to focus and also gives the abundance of LRM boats around lately something to aim their missiles at to help you out.

2. Stick together! Just like a horror movie, splitting off from the group is a good way to get killed first. Even if you're in an Assault mech, a decent light mech pilot can easily take you out despite being less than half your weight. The only reasonable time to split from the group is if you're playing the objective like capping points.

3. Learn your weapon hard point locations. Yes these do matter, your mech isn't just a pretty graphic, if your weapons are down by your waist and you're only barely peeking over a hill, when you fire you're not going to hit anything but dirt. Likewise if your weapon mounts are wide apart like the Champion and a small flea stands right in front of you, likely only one or neither of your arm mounted weapons will even touch it.

4. Learn the terrain. The number of times I have seen people try LRM down a target that is hiding under the terrain and just waste ammo is ridiculous. You can use this to your advantage as well, duck behind a building or under an overhang to avoid LRMs and break line of sight.

5. Use the W key. If you are bunched up and have more metal on a location than the enemy, PUSH. Assaults have a lot of armor, they're meant to be the meat shields so the smaller more agile mechs can grind down the enemy. Stacking an Assault with nothing but LRMs is selfish as you're not helping the team by sitting in the back waiting for a target when less than half the team actually targets something for you.

6. Learn the different weapons and engines. Knowing what different weapons and engines capabilities are helps get a decent build you will enjoy playing. You can test different builds without having to commit to it right from the Loadout window, bottom right by the mech stats. XL engines are lighter, but if you lose a side torso chances are someone is going to pop it. But this works on your enemy as well, if you see someone in a big mech that looks fast, they have an XL engine so aim for the exposed side. If you see someone with LRM or PPC, they have a minimum firing distance before they will do damage, if you're fast...run up and give them a hug.

7. Synergize your weapons. You don't have to utilize every weapon mount in your mech, this can over-complicate things. If you're a brawler, get close range and high damage weapons. If you prefer sitting in the back, get long range weapons like PPC or LRMs with a couple medium lasers for backup if the enemy gets too close.

I know there are plenty of more knowledgeable players on here still, I am still learning as well so there is most definitely plenty I still need to learn. Please feel free to add to this anything new players should know, likewise new players feel free to ask questions as well. You will never learn if you don't ask.

[Tw1st3d ZA]

Just some less useful information that sprung to mind after posting...

1. Don't worry about your Tier. As has been previously pointed out, to get to Tier 1 you don't have to be insanely good at the game, most people in Tier 1 have just played a lot. You'll get there eventually, no matter how bad you are.

2. Use the Testing Grounds. This is a good way to test your build, see how easy it is to aim at a mech while running or just to test the heat threshold and weapon damage on various maps. It's also a good place to explore the maps and learn spots where you can hide or duck behind, just learn the terrain without someone shooting at you.

3. Override and Shutdown. These two options can be tough, if you use Override your mech won't shut down when it hits the heat threshold and is a good way to explode yourself. Likewise if you don't override, there's a good chance you will shut down right in front of an enemy at the worst time. With experience you will learn to ride this threshold and get more comfortable playing in Override.

4. F1 cheat sheet. This will give you a keyboard guide of what key does what while playing if you can't remember.

5. Don't Alpha strike out the gate! This should be common sense, but apparently some people missed the memo. Some people use their Alpha as soon as their mechs feet hit the ground, very bad if you happen to land facing a teammates back. You'll either kill them outright, or at least strip all their armor and give the enemy an easy kill.

6. Playing an Assault does not make the game easier. Just because it's got a lot of armor and can carry a lot of weapons,this does not mean it is easy to play. You're often a big slow target which will usually get targeted first. If you don't know how to move in your land boat, enjoy dying a lot.

7. Lights do not make the game easier. Yes you're small and nimble, but a skilled player with good aim and the right weapon will swat you with one or two good shots. Stealth armor does not make you invisible! It just stops you from being locked on by conventional means, a narc or tag will negate this so keep moving. A stationary light is a dead light.

8. ECM is okay, but only really worth it if you speak into the ECM nodes in the skill tree. Not a must have but useful to your team if you learn to switch between modes (J) to disrupt enemy ECM if a light gets in your back and starts harassing your Assaults from behind.

9. Try different roles. You get different mechs to trial without having to pay anything, so try different ones to see which role you enjoy. Lights aren't brawlers, you can't stand in front of a heavy and expect to go toe to toe with them. Likewise you can't scount in a Kodiak, that's like trying to be Winnie the Pooh in a ninja outfit.

[CFC Conky]

Good idea to have this list so new players don't have to search the forums.

[TheFourthAlly]

Weapon range. I see often enough people fire weapones well beyond optimal or even maximum range. You're not doing anything that way. Optimal range is actually given in the lower right of your HUD, next to the weapon's name in the weapon's group list. Max range is a bit trickier, your crosshair turns black iirc?

Press 'R' (as said above), it gives you info on the enemy, especially their damage is good to know and aim for already hurt components. Letting your teammates know where this enemy is, as they only show on the minimap when targeted.

If you're the first to target one, you get a nice 3000 c-bills bonus too. I get these sometimes in the middle of a match during a brawl. Obviously a lot of people do not bother to target, so easy money in there too.

[helix6745]

Here are some tips and advice that have helped me improve:
1) Adjust mouse sensitivity to atleast .2 or below, this will help you keep your lasers or other facetime weapons on the spot (i have it set to .12 personally).
2) Adjust fov, maybe around 70, this will help you get a better view in your cockpit.
3) keep in mind your mech's geometry and loadout to torso twist effectively; some mechs don't need to twist as much as others; and some can even use a "deadside".
4) disabling armlock allows you to torso twist with less mouse movement, but you'll need to get used to aim your arms sepparately of your torso.
5) your mech will turn faster while moving in reverse; if your ankles are being chewed by a nasty piranha or a flea, hit reverse and turn your mech and twist your torso in the opposite rotation; this will possibly catch them off guard and you can shoot them more easily.
6) If you have decided to use lrms on your assault, not only you should bring your own tag; but you should also fire your missiles around 300-500m of your target, preferably with direct line of sight; this way, more of your missiles will get to your target faster and with reduced spread, meaning more missiles will hit your target. And nobody will complain about you staying in the back.
That's all i can think off the top of my head for now. I hope this is useful to someone.

[Tw1st3d ZA]

Just adding on stuff as the more I play, the more I see and feel needs to be said.

1. Don't be afraid to push. It's just a game, even if you get wiped out and lose the match, you don't lose anything. You still get some C-Bills for being active in the match. Yes it sucks to lose, but you will likely never win if you keep running away from the enemy.

2. Using advanced zoom increases mouse sensitivity. The number of people I have seen do this when the enemy is within 300m and proceed to miss every shot because they can't handle the increased sensitivity is astounding. I don't know where the proclivity to use zoom so much has come from, but it should only be used for long range targets...or if you're trying to get a headshot on a Flea.

3. Consumables. An artillery strike doesn't always need to be used for extra damage, sometimes you can use it to direct the enemy as most players without a death wish will see the smoke and try avoid it. UAV is a drone that you pop to try spot enemies nearby or even around a corner, but can be shot down. Cool shot is used to drop your mechs heat if you're stuck in a prolonged fire fight, but beware it isn't instant and can take a second or two to drop your heat so use it preemptively if possible.

[Inusaa]

[Aidan Crenshaw]

Dark Icon, on 14 May 2020 - 12:04 AM, said:

3. Consumables. An artillery strike doesn't always need to be used for extra damage, sometimes you can use it to direct the enemy as most players without a death wish will see the smoke and try avoid it.

I often see some people from a maybe more "arcadey" or "nintendoic" background, who seem to believe red smoke is some kind of power-up they have to run over to pick it up...

[Negat1ve Nancy]

No you cannot pick up and throw the smoke grenade at the enemy.
And both friendly and enemy smoke grenades are the same colour
RED

[Tw1st3d ZA]

Just for those that don't know, there are two types of "arty strikes". I believe both do the same damage, just the damage patterns change.

N.B!! It doesn't matter if a friend or yourself are the one that dropped the Arty strike, ANYONE inside the area can be hit including yourself.

1. Air strike - This is where you see the plane fly overhead and it will drop bombs in a straight line, technically more accurate if you can line it up right, smaller area of effect.

2. Artillery Strike - Sort of like someone firing a mortar on the location, wider area of effect usually in a bigger circle so sometimes it might not do as much damage as you think it will. Still can be used to soften up grouped targets though.

I know it's not the best practice for it, but when I am playing an assault and have a Locust or Piranha nipping at my heals in close proximity I tend to drop them on myself to eradicate the threat. Obviously only works if you still have your armor intact, if you're cored and your CT is cherry...not a good idea.

[TheFourthAlly]

Dark Icon, on 20 May 2020 - 12:30 AM, said:

I know it's not the best practice for it, but when I am playing an assault and have a Locust or Piranha nipping at my heals in close proximity I tend to drop them on myself to eradicate the threat. Obviously only works if you still have your armor intact, if you're cored and your CT is cherry...not a good idea.

The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries;
20. If you're not willing to shell your own position, you're not willing to win.


Use with caution though. Just occasioanlly some of us Medium drivers do give a **** about that assault swatting at ankle-biter and come to your aid.

Edited by TheFourthAlly, 24 May 2020 - 05:05 PM.